Various Media Items That I Have Consumed

I'm usually the last person on this blog to have info on books/movies/CDs, but here are a couple things I've checked out that are worth commentating on.

Bronson--movie based on the true story (pretty closely I think, after checking out this dude online) of a guy in prison in England who has spent 30 of his 34 years of confinement in solitary. The main character/narrator gives an dominating performance sort of like Daniel Day Lewis's recent villain roles (Bill the Butcher and Daniel Plainview). Best scene of the movie: when Bronson (he adopts the name of Charles Bronson, by the way) knows there's a big throwdown with guards coming, he strips naked and covers himself in grease. Awesome movie. True Stories from the PDs office: I just represented a guy whose records totally gives this guy a run for his money--both went into prison on 8-10 year robbery charges, both got another 20 years of time added for crazy in-custody antics, my guy finally just stopped fighting after about 15 years. Another true story: our office represented a dude who liked to get nude, grease up, and go peep in people's windows. Dude also claimed to be related to Chauncy Billups.

The Nine--book a year or two old now written by Jeffrey Toobin, the CNN legal guy about the transformation of the Supreme Court in the past 30 years. Essentially describes how conservatives began to strategically work the Supreme Court like a punching bag, so instead of just appointing vaguely conservative people who check some demographic box, they appoint people who would re-outlaw buttsex in a second if given another chance. Great book, fun read even if your aren't a law nerd. Two points I got: 1. there is no vaguely liberal constitutional doctrine that is safe from Republican appointments to the Supreme Court, which is a reason in the future why I will likely vote for even the lamest of democratic presidential candidates. 2. Illustrates how conservatives are consistently more organized and aggressive in spreading their agenda. Thirty years ago, the Supreme Court was an after thought to them, now they four Supreme Court justices who were essentially handpicked by James Dobson. Don't believe that conservatives are better at playing the game? Check out the recent textbook disputes in Texas, essentially the newest front in their cultural war.

Brief Interviews of Hideous Men (the movie)--Having watched the film Breakfast of Champions starring Bruce Willis (horrible), I am clearly a sucker for movies based on great books. Truth is some things are just better on paper. Good cast, including an appearance by Lester Freeman, but really can't capture the humor/absurdity of the book. The story arc that is constructed to connect the the snippets in the book (if the book was connected, I missed it) is uninteresting. Directed by John Krasinski of The Office (or Friends II if you prefer).